MISSING OUT OR FEELING CHEATED: THE HEART (CONCLUSION)
A high level of cholesterol in the blood clogs the arteries so it is sensible always to keep to a minimum the amount of foods you know contain cholesterol. As we age, the walls of important arteries thicken thus making the passage of blood difficult. With the addition of cholesterol further clogging the passage, the heart has to work harder still and can be severely taxed as it tries to force blood through to where it is needed. It is this extra effort and strain that leads to strokes and heart attacks.
A certain amount of cholesterol is permanently present in our blood, the exact amount only calculable by blood analysis. At twenty the average content is about 180 milligrams rising to around 200 milligrams at thirty, 220 milligrams at forty and, at fifty the figure is likely to have increased to around 230 milligrams. Relative blood pressures for the same ages are around 122/76, 125/76, 129/81 and 134/83.
To keep your cholesterol levels down to an acceptable level avoid all animal fats and cut down on milk products and eggs. This means eating less meat fat, less fatty meats (like pork, mutton, duck and all sausage) and limiting yourself to small amounts only of milk, cheese and eggs (never more than three a week). The rule is always to avoid fried foods and use polyunsaturated spreads like margarine instead of butter. Salad oils though fattening in excessive quantity, being of vegetable origin, are polyunsaturated too and it is generally believed that they actually combat cholesterol by working to reduce its level in the blood. Olive oil is monosaturated which means it is neither saturated (fatty), nor polyunsaturated — but acceptable. All vegetables and fruit are free of cholesterol content.
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